Although Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought the U.S. into what some are calling another Cold War with the “Evil Empire,” it’s not (so far) an actual war. Let’s pray it never becomes one.

And diplomatic relations with China and North Korea seem to be holding thus far.

That’s the good news.

But what’s going on in Venezuela? First, Donald Trump orders a strike against a “drug-carrying vessel from Venezuela,” — not an interception and arrest, but a deadly attack that killed 11 people. It was not a defensive action; it was a first strike by the United States government. [Danai Nesta Kupemba, BBC News, September 5, 2025.]

Then Venezuela twice flew its military aircraft near a U.S. vessel off the coast of South America, causing Trump to warn that, if Venezuelan jets continue to fly over U.S. naval ships and “put us in a dangerous position, they’ll be shot down.” [Id.]

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied Trump’s allegations and accused him of seeking “regime change through military threat” . . . while still emphasizing that “Venezuela has always been willing to talk, to engage in dialogue, but we demand respect.” [Id.]

But is Trump’s war on drugs — while arguably a good thing in and of itself — a legitimate excuse to use force against foreign suspected traffickers outside of U.S. territory, in clear violation of international law? Isn’t that, in reality, fighting one crime with another?

And could it not be construed as an act of war?

That doesn’t seem to matter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said during a visit to Ecuador that the U.S. will “blow up” foreign crime groups if necessary, possibly in collaboration with other countries:

“Now they’re gonna help us find these people and blow them up, if that’s what it takes.” [Ione Wells, BBC, September 4, 2025.]

*. *. *

Setting aside the multiple ongoing international headaches, Trump seems also to have declared war on his own country.

When he sent the National Guard into Los Angeles, he alleged that it was to support local law enforcement in defending against massive riots — which turned out to be scattered confrontations that the local and state authorities said were spotty flare-ups that were well under control.

And in D.C., when Trump rode past a homeless encampment in McPherson Square, he decided that Washington was in the throes of a devastating crime wave that needed to be cleaned up — not by increasing the resources of the D.C. Police Department, but again by sending in the military. Over 2,000 National Guard “reinforcements” have found themselves in the nation’s capital with so much time on their hands, they’ve been kept busy cleaning up trash and tending the many city parks. And why?

Because there is no devastating crime wave in D.C. In fact, violent crime in the city has been down by about 20% over the same period last year.

*. *. *

Still, not to be discouraged by court rulings and massive civilian protests against his unconstitutional misuse of the military, Trump has now turned his attention to — and declared war on — Chicago.

Having already announced plans to begin a major immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city, Trump issued this unhinged statement in a social media post:

“I love the smell of deportations in the morning … Chicago about [sic] to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” [Samantha Waldenberg, CNN, September 6, 2025.]

To which Illinois’ Governor J.B. Pritzker replied in a post on X:

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.” [Id.]

Yes, folks . . . he’s declared war on his own country.

*. *. *

But hold on — what was that about a “Department of War”? When did that happen?

Actually, it’s not official; that can only be codified by an Act of Congress, as was done in 1949 when the earlier wartime “Department of War” was renamed the “Department of Defense.” But current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been authorized — by one of Trump’s multitude of executive orders * — to style himself as Secretary of War. And he wasted no time in changing the name plate on his office door at the Pentagon.

* Executive Order: “Restoring the United States Department of War,” September 5, 2025, whitehouse.gov.

The Executive Order goes to great lengths to justify itself, in essence declaring that what was right for George Washington in the 18th century is good enough for Donald Trump some 236 years later:

“The Founders chose this name to signal our strength and resolve to the world. The name ‘Department of War,’ more than the current ‘Department of Defense,’ ensures peace through strength, as it demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our Nation at a moment’s notice, not just to defend. This name sharpens the Department’s focus on our own national interest and our adversaries’ focus on our willingness and availability to wage war to secure what is ours. I have therefore determined that this Department should once again be known as the Department of War and the Secretary should be known as the Secretary of War.”

*. *. *

Thus does Donald Trump “render unto Caesar” — i.e., himself — “that which is Caesar’s.”

Or what he, as America’s dictator, declares to be his.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/8/25

Well, so much for being the family member with the strongest resistance to whatever bug happens to be going around. Two others have just gotten over it, and now it appears to be my turn.

I’m not deathly ill, but just sufficiently fuzzy-brained to be incapable of putting words together in any sort of intelligible order. So I’m setting aside the iPad now, and hanging around today in my P.J.s and robe, with a nice big mug of hot herbal tea, a fuzzy blanket, and whatever looks good on BritBox.

The world will just have to continue along its current self-destruct orbit without my two cents’ worth of sarcasm for a day or so. But I’ll be checking in to let you know I’m still alive.

‘Til then, be good to each other . . . and stay away from these guys:

They’re nothing but trouble.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/7/25

She’s not a new hostage — just new to this list. In fact, it was five years ago today, on September 7, 2020, that Belarusian musician and political activist Marya Kalesnikava was kidnapped in Belarus, forcefully transported into Ukrainian territory, managed to escape, tore her passport to pieces, and walked back to Belarus.

Once there, she was immediately arrested, as was her attorney, Maksim Zak.

Kalesnikava, a professional flautist, had done nothing more than work with political groups in opposition to Belarus’ dictatorial leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko.

On September 11, 2020, Amnesty International recognized Kalesnikava as a prisoner of conscience. A year later, on September 6, 2021, she was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony for her political activity.

Now her sister, Tatsiana Homich, has spoken about her hope that Kalesnikava may soon be released as part of an agreement being negotiated between Lukashenko and Donald Trump, who has optimistically forecast:

“I believe they’re going to be releasing a lot of those 1,400 [presently held in Belarus] . . . in the pretty near future.” [Ray Furlong, RFE/RL, September 7, 2025.]

If Trump is not exaggerating, and if Lukashenko proves to be true to his word, it could mean the end of Marya Kalesnikava’s long nightmare. Let’s hope so. In the meantime, she joins our list of those for whom the fight continues.

*. *. *

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Prisoners of War:

The People of Ukraine
The Azov 12

Endangered Exiles:

Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Azerbaijan:

The “Azerbaijan 7”:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Belarus:

Ales Bialiatski
Andrei Chapiuk
Marya Kalesnikava
Uladzimir Labkovich
Ihar Losik
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In Russia:

David Barnes
Gordon Black
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland

May you all be home soon.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/7/25

According to Worldometers.info, out of a total of 195 countries in the world, only 19 are reported as having a gross domestic product (GDP) of $1 trillion or more. The vast majority of the world’s nations get by on a great deal less than that.

So why, I ask myself, would any one person — even a serial baby daddy with a flock of children to support — need, or even want, to be a trillionaire? What would you do with it? Start your own country?

Well, if you were this person . . .

You recognize him … Donald Trump’s former BFF, Elon Musk

Now, if you were, say, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, or MacKenzie Scott, you would find no end of philanthropic causes that desperately need and deserve help . . . just as you’d already been doing, though on a much larger scale.

But the person closest to reaching that goal is already the richest person in the world. And, while theoretically possible, the reality of his actually attaining a net worth of $1 trillion is dependent on a number of factors. It would come in the form of a proposed new pay package from his Tesla company, which would grant him an additional 423.7 million shares of its stock, worth $143.5 billion at today’s value.

But he would only receive the shares if the value of Tesla stock increased significantly, reaching an overall value of $8.5 trillion, thus making Tesla the most valuable company ever. So it’s complicated, and it’s all very iffy. But, like everything Musk has ever dreamt of doing, what seems impossible to us mere mortals could conceivably come true for him.

But again . . . why? Well, there are the bragging rights, of course. But more importantly, there is the sheer personal POWER that accompanies that kind of wealth. And that’s what people like Musk thrive on.

But then there is the age-old ethical question of whether anyone deserves to have so much more than they could ever use, when there is such an overabundance of suffering and devastation in the world.

I am a firm believer that anyone who earns their money honestly, through their own effort and skill, has an absolute right to do whatever they choose with it: invest it, spend it on luxuries, hoard it, or give it away. And no one has the right to force them to share it with others.

But I would hope that, having been fortunate enough to have achieved great wealth, one might want to experience the joy of using a portion of it to make the world, in some way, a better place. What a glorious feeling that would be!

But then, I’ve always been something of an idealist, unlike the Musks of this world. So, while I don’t wish him any bad luck, forgive me if I do hope he never achieves this specific goal. Because I think he already has more than he deserves.

Maybe the Tesla Board of Directors could instead redirect some of that extra cash and give their hard-working employees a big fat raise, or a really nice Christmas bonus . . . or both. You know who I mean: the people who keep the company operating, and who live from paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford a new TV because one of the kids needs braces.

The people without whom Musk would be out of business.

Or am I living in a dream world?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/6/25

As though we needed a further reminder, Vladimir Putin has said it again.

Following an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that 26 of Ukraine’s allies had formally committed to providing post-war security by deploying defensive troops to Ukraine “on the ground, at sea, or in the air,” Putin responded with this warning:

“If any troops appear there, especially now while fighting is ongoing, we assume that they will be legitimate targets.” [RFE/RL, September 5, 2025.]

He added — despite all evidence to the contrary — that he was ready to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky, but said:

. . . “but I do not see much point. Why? Because it is nearly impossible to reach agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues.” [Paul Kirby, BBC, September 5, 2025.]

In other words, it’s not going to happen. And of course, it’s Ukraine’s fault.

Then his ever-present spokesman, Dmitry Peskov — while praising Donald Trump’s “very constructive efforts” to find a solution to the standoff — added his two cents’ worth of double-speak by reiterating the Kremlin’s most recent claim concerning “the outrageous efforts of European countries to provoke continuation of the war.” [Id.]

Since the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska last month, Trump has continued to issue half-hearted threats of sanctions and other unspecified actions against Russia for its continued refusal to enter into serious negotiations. Yet he does nothing, merely offering ambiguous pledges that “something” will be done “soon.”

And Putin has reacted to the strengthening stance of the European “Coalition of the Willing” by shifting the target of his accusations and threats of reprisals from the U.S. to Ukraine’s European allies.

Is it my imagination, or do Messrs. Putin and Trump seem to be more in sync since their little confab in Anchorage . . . each stalling so that the burden now falls on the Coalition?

I only hope I live long enough to see how it all turns out.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/6/25

This is the guy who is, as the saying goes, just a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. If anything were to happen to Donald Trump — if he were to die, become incapacitated, resign, or be impeached and convicted — this is the person who would plant his tush in the chair behind the Resolute Desk so fast the seat would still be warm.

And this is the person who defended noted conspiracy theorist, anti-vaxxer and all-around whack-job Bobby Kennedy, Jr., in a post on X following Kennedy’s Senate testimony this week, writing:

“When I see all these senators trying to lecture and ‘gotcha’ Bobby Kennedy today, all I can think is: You all support off-label, untested, and irreversible hormonal ‘therapies’ for children, mutilating our kids and enriching big pharma. You’re full of s—- and everyone knows it.” [Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, September 4, 2025.]

Yes, folks . . . it is this delusional, misogynistic, lying, racist, angry, foul-mouthed individual who is next in line — and has declared himself “ready” — to take over if the unexpected should happen.

This is the man who, with his trigger finger on the nuclear button, would be seated at the table with the likes of Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Ursula von der Leyen, and other allies . . . or across from Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, or Kim Jong Un . . . making decisions affecting the fate of the entire world.

And you thought things couldn’t get any worse?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/5/25

When I think about Donald Trump — which I try not to do any more often than necessary — I don’t usually think of someone with a rip-roaring sense of humor. I mean, he’s no Robin Williams . . . right?

But what he told CBS News yesterday had me laughing so hard I nearly wet myself. And I’m still laughing. So I’d like to share it with you, in case you missed it.

In a telephone interview, when asked about his stated desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize, this is what he said:

“I have nothing to say about it. All I can do is put out wars. I don’t seek attention. I just want to save lives.” [James FitzGerald, BBC News, September 4, 2025.] [Bold emphasis is mine — that’s the funny part.]

Seriously . . . are there two Donald Trumps? Is this the same guy who’s been talking about nothing but a Nobel Prize for months? In February, he said, “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. I deserve it, but they will never give it.” [Id.]

And in July, his press room Barbie, Karoline Leavitt, said it was “well past time” that he won the Nobel. Steve Witkoff also chimed in at a cabinet meeting just last week, calling him the “single finest” Nobel candidate in history. (I’m afraid Witkoff could use a little professional help as well, if that’s what he seriously believes.)

And Trump himself has said he has discussed the possibility of a Nobel with Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg (though Stoltenberg has not confirmed that). [Id.]

But suddenly, he’s Mr. Modesty. “I don’t seek attention.” “I just want to save lives.” “All I do is put out wars.”

Honestly, folks . . . who is this person?

And if he truly is so anti-war and anti-violence, what the hell is he thinking when he orders suspected drug smugglers’ boats to be blown to smithereens?

Also, why does he want the Department of Defense to revert to its World War II name: the War Department? That’s just scary.

Come to think of it, I’m not laughing any longer. This is a man who appears to be in serious trouble, both physically and mentally. And if he is, then so are we all.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/5/25

You are not to blame. You are doing what you have sworn to do: following orders as they are given to you.

The fact that those orders are wrong is not your fault. It’s not even the fault of your commanding officers. It is the fault of their commander-in-chief.

No one should be angry at you for doing your job, even if your “job” this week is “beautifying” D.C. instead of caring for your families. But not everyone knows how to express their anger, so there are those civilians who may direct that anger at you. Please don’t take it personally; they’re as upset as you are.

We know you hate this. Some of you are far from home, deployed on a fake mission for no other reason than to satisfy the evil whim of someone who cares only for himself.

I just wanted to say that most of us understand your position, and we’re truly sorry. Stay safe, and get home soon.

Oh . . . and just one other thing: I didn’t vote for him.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/4/25

They came, they shook hands, they smiled for the photographers . . . they even signed a preliminary agreement to build a “Siberia-2” gas pipeline together. It was a two-day photo op designed to showcase the burgeoning friendship between Russia and China.

All told, there were some 20 world leaders at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China this week, notably including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi . . . much to the chagrin of Donald Trump, who sat sulking in Washington while Modi — the target of Trump’s 50% tariffs — met and dined with America’s most bitter adversaries.

Xi and Modi also met separately on Sunday, where Xi spoke of the “fluid and chaotic” international situation in today’s world:

“It is the right choice for both sides [China and India] to be friends who have good neighborly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other’s success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together” . . . referring to traditional symbols of their respective countries. [Simone McCarthy Nectar Gan and Rhea Mogul, CNN, August 31, 2025.]

And Xi continued, “As long as they adhere to the overall direction of being partners rather than rivals … China-India relations can maintain stability and move forward over the long run.”[Id.]

Modi responded that India was “committed” to carrying relations forward “on the basis of mutual trust and respect” . . . even mentioning an easing of tensions along the disputed Himalayan border. [Id.]

*. *. *

But wait . . . there was more.

After the two-day summit, some attendees went home, some stayed, and others arrived for the spectacular climax of Xi’s really big show on September 3rd: the military parade in Beijing’s expansive Tiananmen Square. And among the most honored guests at this event was — for the first time ever — North Korean President Kim Jong Un.

The optics were unmistakable: a display of solidarity among the “big three” for the Western nations to digest.

And in another side meeting, Putin and Kim sat down together. Referring to the thousands of North Korean soldiers who have already fought for Russia in Ukraine, Putin said:

“I would like to note that your soldiers fought courageously and heroically” . . . to which Kim replied, “If there is any way that we can support Russia, we will always do it. We consider it our brotherly duty.” [Reid Standish, RFE/RL, September 3, 2025.]

Later, Putin invited Kim to visit Moscow. Of course, he had also extended the same invitation to Donald Trump in Alaska.

*. *. *

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Trump had said on Tuesday, the day before the parade, that he was not concerned about the SCO summit or the military display:

“I have a very good relationship with President Xi, as you know. But China needs us much more than we need them.” [Bloomberg, September 3, 2025.]

Following the festivities on Wednesday, however, he offered these petulant remarks:

“I watched the speech last night. President Xi is a friend of mine, but I thought that the United States should have been mentioned last night during that speech, because we helped China very, very much.” [Id.]

And he posted this bit of sarcasm, addressed to Xi, on his Truth Social site:

“Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.” [Id.]

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov —who was with Putin in Beijing — was asked for a response to Trump’s comments. In a video circulated by a Kremlin pool reporter, he made this statement:

“Let’s hope this was meant in some figurative sense, not a literal one, especially since nobody is hatching any conspiracies.” [Id.}

If we’re keeping score, I’d have to say — in the diplomacy department alone — it’s Peskov-1, Trump-0.

*. *. *

Well, was it a hit or a flop? Based on what the public was shown — and obviously we don’t know everything that took place behind the scenes — it appears to have been a pretty good time for the participants. No major announcements were made, but it did offer evidence of a significant alliance being formed in opposition to the U.S. and European powers. In that sense, for Xi Jinping, it seems to have been worth the effort.

Xi also gained his objective of demonstrating to the world the strength of China’s military forces.

Narendra Modi gained a place at the big boys’ table.

Vladimir Putin walked away with a potential deal with China for a new Siberian gas pipeline, and the promise from North Korea of further support for his ongoing massacre in Ukraine.

And Kim Jong Un finally broke out of isolation and joined the A-team.

On the other hand, Donald Trump . . . well . . . you know how he is when the party isn’t for him.

As for us — the viewing public — we had a temporary distraction from wars, earthquakes, landslides, imaginary crime waves, very real immigrant round-ups, Jeffrey Epstein files . . . the everyday stuff of today’s world. And any respite from that is a very good thing.

*. *. *

And so we leave the land of the Great Wall and the Giant Pandas for now, and await the next chapter of “As the World Flip-Flops.”

Have a great day, everyone.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/4/25

While Turkey’s President Erdogan manages to remain firmly seated on the political fence between East and West, the Prime Ministers of two other members of both NATO and the EU — Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico — have been much more outspoken in their support of Vladimir Putin. And now — not for the first time — they are using their leverage in the EU to swing the semi-annual vote on Russian sanctions in Putin’s direction.

The EU’s Russian sanctions presently cover more than 2,600 individuals and firms in Russia, and must be extended by unanimous vote every six months. The deadline for the next renewal is September 15th, and both Orban and Fico have submitted the names of several individuals — Russian oligarchs and others close to Putin — whose sanctions they want lifted before they will vote for renewal.

They can’t really believe they have a chance of having the entire sanctions program dropped. But by demanding that several high-profile names be removed — names like oligarchs Pyotr Aven and Mikhail Fridman — they have already caused some EU member states to propose an alternative solution: possibly by removing one or two “weak cases,” or individuals most likely to be delisted soon in any event due to lack of provable evidence against them. [Rikard Jozwiak, RFE/RL, September 3, 2025.]

Some sort of agreement will undoubtedly be reached, as it has been in the past. But by forcing the other members to compromise, Orban and Fico — and Putin — will have already won. It may not be a huge victory; but even the small ones, taken cumulatively, eventually become meaningful.

This is not a new tactic; but it demonstrates, once again, Putin’s increasing influence in nations that are members of the EU and/or NATO and whose heads are clearly working against the principles and goals of the two democratic alliances. And shockingly, both Hungary and Slovakia were, just over 30 years, Eastern Bloc countries that fought so hard and so valiantly to escape Soviet hegemony.

Unfortunately, neither NATO nor the EU offers any mechanism for the expulsion of a member country. Fico and Orban are well within their rights to vote against extension of the 2,600 existing sanctions . . . or any other measure that might hinder Putin’s continuation of the war in Ukraine . . . and to do so without fear of reprisal.

It’s coercion, pure and simple. But it’s unpunishable.

*. *. *

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Donald Trump has once again reiterated his wobbly stance regarding Putin’s continuing avoidance of serious peace negotiations with Ukraine.

You’ll be happy to know that he stated he’s still not pleased with his old friend Vlad, saying on conservative commentator Scott Jennings’ radio show on Tuesday:

“I’m very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that. We had a great relationship, I’m very disappointed. Thousands of people are dying. They’re not Americans. They’re Russians and Ukrainians. . . . And it’s a war that makes no sense. We’ll be doing something to help people live . . . Seven thousand people are dying every week — soldiers, mostly. And if I can help to stop that, I think I have an obligation to do it.” [RFE/RL, September 3, 2025.]

Trump didn’t specify what “something” he would be doing. Nor did U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent make matters any clearer on Monday when he told Fox News that the administration would this week be “examining options” in regard to a U.S. response to Russia’s continuing deadly attacks on Ukraine. Bessent said that:

“[Putin] has done the opposite of following through on what he indicated [to Trump] that he wanted to do. As a matter of fact, he has, in a despicable, despicable manner, increased the bombing campaign. So, I think with President Trump, all options are on the table, and I think we’ll be examining those very closely this week.” [Id.]

Fortunately for Ukraine, their European allies — a group of nations calling themselves the Coalition of the Willing — have more to offer. Led by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, they will be meeting today in Paris to discuss potential security guarantees for Kyiv. After speaking with NATO head Mark Rutte, Macron had written this on X:

“Together with our partners, and in coordination with NATO, we will work to define robust security guarantees for Ukraine. These are a necessary prerequisite to move credibly toward peace.” [Id.]

And on the eve of today’s meeting, Macron added:

“Thanks to the contributions prepared, documented, and confirmed this afternoon at the defense minister level under strict secrecy, we can now say: This work is complete and ready for political approval.” [Id.]

No “disappointment” . . . no “something” . . . no two-week extensions or “options on the table.” They said they would do it, and they’re doing it. And later today, we should know more about what “it” is.

That’s leadership.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/4/25